Find out how popular the last name Gilliam is in the United States and learn more about the meaning, history, and race and ethnic origin of people in America who are named Gilliam.

Gilliam, like all of the last names we have data for, is identified by the U.S. Census Bureau as a surname which has more than 100 occurrences in the United States in the Decennial Census survey. The most recent statistics we have for the Gilliam surname is from the 2010 census data.

Popularity of Gilliam in America

Gilliam is the 1204th most popular name in America based on the data we have collected from the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Gilliam surname appeared 29,414 times in the 2010 census and if you were to sample 100,000 people in the United States, approximately 10 people would have the surname Gilliam.

We can also compare 2010 data for Gilliam to data from the previous census in 2000. The table below contains all of the statistics for both years in a side-by-side comparison.

The history of the last name Gilliam

The surname Gilliam is of English origin and dates back to the medieval era. It is derived from the personal name Giles, which in turn comes from the Greek name Aegidius, meaning "young goat." The Gilliam surname likely originated as a patronymic, meaning "son of Giles."

One of the earliest recorded instances of the surname Gilliam can be found in the Domesday Book of 1086, which was a comprehensive survey of land ownership in England commissioned by William the Conqueror. The name is listed as "Gilliam" and is believed to refer to landowners or tenants at the time.

In the 13th century, the surname appeared in various records with slightly different spellings, such as "Giliam," "Gillam," and "Gyllyam." These variations were common due to the inconsistencies in spelling during that period.

The Gilliam surname has been associated with several notable individuals throughout history. One of the earliest recorded bearers of the name was William Gilliam, a merchant and alderman in the city of London who lived in the late 14th century.

In the 16th century, the Gilliam family established themselves as landowners in the county of Dorset. One prominent member was Robert Gilliam (c. 1532-1603), a wealthy landowner and member of the gentry.

During the English Civil War in the 17th century, several Gilliams fought on both sides of the conflict. One notable figure was Captain John Gilliam (c. 1620-1684), a Royalist soldier who fought for King Charles I.

In the 18th century, the Gilliam family continued to be prominent in various parts of England. Benjamin Gilliam (1716-1794) was a successful merchant and landowner in the county of Gloucestershire.

The surname also found its way to the American colonies, where it was borne by several notable individuals. One of the most famous was Ezekiel Gilliam (1733-1784), a Virginia planter and military officer who served in the American Revolutionary War.

These are just a few examples of the many individuals who have borne the surname Gilliam throughout history. While the name may have originated from humble beginnings, it has been carried by people from various walks of life, including merchants, landowners, soldiers, and planters.

Race and ethnic origin of people with the last name Gilliam

We also have some data on the ancestry of people with the surname Gilliam.

The below race categories are the modified race categories used in the Census Bureau's population estimates program. All people were categorized into six mutually exclusive racial and Hispanic origin groups:

1. White only
2. Black only
3. American Indian and Alaskan Native only
4. Asian and Pacific Islander only
5. Hispanic
6. Two or More Races

For the most recent 2010 census data, the race/ethnic origin breakdown for Gilliam was:

Note: Any fields showing (S) means the data was suppressed for privacy so that the data does not in any way identify any specific individuals.

Since we have data from the previous census in 2000, we can also compare the values to see how the popularity of Gilliam has changed in the 10 years between the two census surveys.

Data source

The last name data and ethnic breakdown of last names is sourced directly from the Decennial Census survey, conducted every 10 years by the United States Census Bureau.

The history and meaning of the name Gilliam was researched and written by our team of onomatology and genealogy experts.

If you have a correction or suggestion to improve the history of Gilliam, please contact us.

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